


Bambi

by EdithBlake



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Sexual Tension, Sleep Deprivation, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 05:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21423001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdithBlake/pseuds/EdithBlake
Summary: Eddie helps Buck through a panic attack.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 6
Kudos: 457





	Bambi

The night terrors were back. He thought he had put it all behind him, when he returned to work. He was almost certain after two weeks of uninterrupted sleep that they were gone but then the accident happened. He could still hear Hen’s cries. It triggered something in him. That night when he went home to sleep, the night terrors returned with a vengeance. Nightmares about the explosion, about Maddie’s abduction and most of all about the tsunami. He woke up covered in sweat and paralyzed. He couldn’t even manage to breathe. He wanted to call Maddie but with everything happening with her, he couldn’t bring himself to. She had enough on her plate. He wanted to call Eddie...But again, Eddie was dealing with his own issues. So instead, he just laid awake staring at his ceiling fan. At the end of the day, Hen had Karen, Bobby had Athena, Maddie had Chim and Eddie had Christopher, and Buck well Buck had Evan. As weird as that sounded, it was true. When things got bad, he could always count on himself. But for some reason, tonight, he was having trouble getting his breathing back under control. He gasped in a shuddering breath but it burned his lungs. It hurt to breathe. It hurt so much that he wasn’t able to focus on anything but the pain. He wanted to claw his way out of his skin. He tried to sit up but he couldn’t move. He had to launch his body off the bed just to be able to regain some movement in his sore bones. He grabbed his cell phone and froze. He knew he should call 9-1-1. He wasn’t breathing and he needed an ambulance but his fingers automatically dialed Eddie’s number as if they had a life of their own. Ring...Ring...Ring...Ring...

“Hello…”Eddie’s groggy voice filtered its way through Buck’s phone. 

Buck gasped in a huff of air only to splutter it back out. He heard rustling on the other end of the phone.

“Buck? Buck talk to me, man!” Eddie said sounding far more awake. 

Buck just choked out another breath… “Ca...can’t bre...breathe.” He managed to retch out. 

He heard shuffling on the other line. “I’m on my way. Just try and stay calm. Just take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth.” Eddie soothed as Buck heard him stumbling around his room.

“Ch-chris-christo-christop…” Buck gasped out shaking his head as tears blurred his vision. 

“He's at a sleepover at a friend’s place. Buck I need you to breathe for me, okay. Please take a deep breath through your nose.” Eddie said as Buck heard the front door open and close. 

Buck only spluttered more. “I c-c-can't.” Buck choked and started hyperventilating

He heard Eddie start his truck. “Yes you can, Buck. You got this, okay. In through the nose out through the mouth.” Eddie said and Buck took in a shattered breath through the nose. 

“It b-b-burns.” Buck said as he continued to hyperventilate. 

“I know. I know. I’m going to be there in like 15 minutes okay. Just keep breathing in and out for me.” Eddie ordered gently and Buck from himself nodding. 

“In and out. In and out.” Eddie coached as Buck started to regain his breath. 

“I’m s-ss-orry.” Buck tried to get out and ended up erupting into a coughing fit. 

“It’s okay, man. I’m almost there, okay? Just relax and breathe and know that I’m going to be there any minute now, okay.” Eddie said and Buck frowned knowing that Eddie was going way over the speed limit. 

“I’m pulling in now. You still with me, Buck?” Eddie asked and Buck heard him kill the engine. 

“Y-yes.” Buck coughed as he sucked in a much needed breath. 

Buck heard rustling on the other end of the phone and then he could hear the lock of his apartment door turning. It took Eddie less than four seconds to climb the stairs to his loft. Buck blinked trying to clear his vision as Eddie crouched down in front of him. 

“Buck! Buck, you need to listen to me very carefully okay? You’re having a panic attack. I know it seems like you won’t wake up from it but you will. I need you to put your head between your knees okay.” Eddie ordered calming and guided Buck’s head down between his knees. 

Buck felt Eddie run a hand up and down the back of his neck. “That’s it. Breathe in and out.” He soothed and Buck felt the tension start to leave his body. 

“He’s got Maddie…”Buck whimpered out feeling incoherent and extremely muddled. 

Eddie brought his other hand down onto one of Buck’s bent knees. “Maddie’s safe and sound. She is with Chimney. She’s sleeping right now. She is all tucked in, Buck.” Eddie stated gently and Buck shivered. 

“Chris...Christopher?” Buck breathe and he felt Eddie’s hand tense slightly. 

“At a sleepover with his friends from school. He’s fine. You’re fine, Maddie is fine and I’m fine. Everything is fine. Just breathe.” Eddie instructed and Buck finally started to breathe normally. 

“I’m sorry. I...God I’m sorry.” Buck choked out as he lifted his head and shook away the tears streaming down his face.

Eddie just smiled gently at him and sat down next to him as they both leaned against his bed frame. 

“It’s okay. I mean you did wake me up from a very nice dream. I just won the Superbowl single-handedly.” Eddie teased bumping Buck’s shoulder. 

Buck snorted lightly. “Not with your butter fingers.” He mumbled earning a small laugh from Eddie. 

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Eddie stated as he patted Buck’s knee. 

“I’m supposed to be stronger than this.” Buck replied with frustration. 

Eddie just pursed his lips and nodded for a second. “I used to think that strength meant silence. I used to think that it was our duty as men to keep everything locked up. To suck it up and keep pushing...But that doesn’t work. You push and push until you hit a wall. Or you know, punch someone’s nose down their throat.” Eddie tried to joke but Buck could tell he was close to breaking down. 

“I’m afraid to close my eyes. I’m afraid to fall asleep.” Buck whispered as he rested his head on his knees. 

“I’m angry. I’m so fucking angry.” Eddie replied also resting his head on his knees. 

“Everything with Hen...With you… I thought things were finally looking up and then it all comes crashing down again. Why does the sky keep falling on us?” Buck asked to the quiet of the loft.

“I don’t know, man. I don’t know. But what I do know is that I got your back and you got mine, so at least we have that going for us.” Eddie said lowly as he lifted his head and ran a hand through his short hair.

“Thanks for coming, man.” Buck whispered and Eddie nodded. 

“Anytime, Bambi.” Eddie smirked and Buck frowned in confusion. 

“Bambi?” He asked and Eddie laughed. 

“The skating rink? You were like Bambi flailing around out there. Nearly gave me a heart-attack” Eddie teased and Buck scoffed at him but smiled. 

“I never learned to skate.” Buck said with a shrug. 

“Maybe we could take Christopher one day. I could teach you both.” Eddie suggested and Buck grinned. 

“I’d like that a lot.” Buck said as he stood up.   
Eddie followed close behind. 

Buck awkwardly stared at his bed and then back at Eddie shyly. Eddie just read his mind and slowly laid down on the bed opening his arms. Buck looked unsure for a second before shaking his insecurities away and lowered himself down onto the bed. They slowly started to drift off when Buck turned to him. 

“What do you mean punch someone’s nose down their throat?” Buck mumbled.

“A story for another night. Get some rest, Bambi.” Eddie whispered and Buck pouted. 

“That better not stick.” He muttered as he felt Eddie’s arms tighten around him before sleep finally claimed him.


End file.
